Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has defended India’s independent foreign policy, saying any attempt to exert pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be detrimental to international relations.
Speaking during an interaction with representatives of international news agencies in St. Petersburg, Putin said India, as one of the world’s largest nations, has every right to pursue economic and diplomatic ties based on its national interests.
Addressing reports of US concerns over India’s continued engagement with Russia, Putin asserted that New Delhi’s relations with Moscow should not be viewed as a source of friction in India’s ties with other countries.
“India is a country of more than 1.5 billion people. It is natural for such a nation to make decisions in accordance with its own interests,” Putin said.
🚨President Putin sends message to the US about India and PM Modi:
“The US is trying to pressure India, for example, when it comes to cooperation with Russia. But putting pressure on Narendra Modi's democracy is detrimental for international relations. It doesn't matter where… pic.twitter.com/F6PKnoJOIe
— Sputnik India (@Sputnik_India) June 4, 2026
Without naming any country directly, the Russian leader remarked that putting pressure on the leader of one of the world’s most populous nations was neither productive nor beneficial for global diplomacy.
“Pressure, irrespective of where it comes from, does not help relations,” he said, while emphasizing that sovereign nations should be free to determine their foreign policy priorities.
Putin also praised India’s balanced diplomatic approach, noting that New Delhi has consistently pursued an independent course in international affairs and taken decisions guided by national interests rather than external influence.
His remarks come amid continuing geopolitical realignments and growing international focus on India’s strategic partnerships with both Western nations and Russia.
